Simon Whitehouse never dreamed he would work outside the UK – but these days, 30 years into his security career, he’s in the Gulf half the year. He spoke to Mark Rowe about life in Dubai and how he got there.
He began his own consultancy in 2003 and for two years it was only him: “Then we had no choice but to grow, because it was seven days a week.” Staff numbers went to two, then to ten, with a Sheffield city centre office. Then as he recalls ‘the bottom fell out of the UK market’. The public sector, including higher education and public sector CCTV, two of his fields, stopped spending. Like many at that time in private security and indeed business generally, given the mouths to feed, his thought was to look overseas. UK Trade and Industry looked at Simon’s business and suggested he look beyond Europe (in the same economic boat as the UK) and go into the Gulf. However, as he recalls, by then he had missed the boat, as the Gulf and Dubai particularly had come out of their boom. UKTI advised two options: move into a free zone, and retain ownership, though you won’t be seen as a local company; or find a local partner who takes a controlling 51pc stake. Simon recalls ‘we stuck our toe in the water’ with a place in the British pavilion through the BSIA trade body at the Intersec trade show in 2009. Simon can admit now that he was ‘wet behind the ears’. Visitors were asking if his consultancy SGW had a trading licence; a local office; a partner; and he had to admit he hadn’t. In other words, he had to get all these, to be taken seriously. So, on speaking again with UKTI, Simon went back to Intersec, seeking a local partner; and recalls a queue of locals wanting to charge a lot for a little; or claiming to be well-connected. Also, Simon met the man who was to become his business partner, a United Arab Emirates national living in Sharjah, a retired brigadier, and also a former diplomat. They met again at another trade show, ISNR. Simon recalls his partner has stood by his word, not looking for short-term gain, and has done business development work and has introduced Simon and the business; and sponsored residency visas, and arranged the trading licence and office.
You need a sponsor
As Simon describes business in UAE, it all hangs together; developers won’t invite you to tender unless you have a trading licence; for that, you need a local office; for that, you need a sponsor. To have a bank account or an apartment, you need a residency visa. Simon reflects: “We’re in a great position because there’s not much competition. We’re four years in front,” as even if competitors tried to enter the market, Simon estimates it would take two or three years to get everything in place, including gaining the confidence of developers so that you join a select list of prime contractors that they will work with. That’s not to say Simon is the only Brit in the field; another consultancy in the emirates – and each emirate is different – is Control Risks, besides such big engineering firms as Arup.
Climate
Pictured speaking to Professional Security at the Transec show at London Olympia in December, where his consultancy was among exhibitors, Simon had just returned from UAE. He said he would rather be there at this time of year than the UK. He is in the emirates six months a year and indeed married again in Dubai in September. He describes the climate as comfortable until April, when the temperature climbs from 25 degrees C to a peak of 50 degrees in July to August. “And it’s unbearable, absolutely unbearable, and of course we are expected to wear suits to go to meetings.” Locals, too, feel the heat. Life in that season is a question of staying indoors or going from air-conditioned apartment to car or taxi with air-con to shopping malls with air-con. After walking anywhere in the open you need a shower. The plastic cards in Simon’s wallet are evidence of the work that anyone has to put in, the required footprint, so you belong in an emirate enough to work: the identity card (with biometrics – iris and hand); the ID from Dubai police as a security consultant; driving licence, linked to national ID; and the UAE Gate card, like an electronic passport for going through airport turnstiles. Simon says: “People look at us and think you have done very well; yes, I am very proud of what I have achieved.” He also has an office in Abu Dhabi, besides Dubai. “It has been a bumpy ride; I would be lying to you to say any other.” He speaks of the strain on himself, and on family relationships; seemingly always on an aircraft, backwards and forwards. While the Middle East might be a ‘land of hope and glory’ if you don’t have family ties; if you have, even if wife and children are willing to settle in a new land, families can split.
Time difference
As for the time differences, it might not sound much that the emirates are four hours ahead of the UK. Simon points out that emirates people starting work at 9am may fire an email to you in the UK – at 5am – and expect an instant answer. And what if someone in the emirates starts work at 7am by calling you?! It’s no use treating your emirates office as a satellite and telling project developers you will book a flight, if they want to see you tomorrow. Also, the emirates’ weekend is Friday and Saturday. So if a developer is at work on Sunday, you may have to take a call Sunday morning. And as for culture, while for example you don’t have to observe a Muslim fast, it would be rude to eat or drink in an office while locals are fasting. Simon says: “In some ways it is glamorous, looking from the outside in; it looks very nice, and yes, the business out there is booming; but we have also made big sacrifices.”
About Simon Whitehouse
SGW offers security risk management and security engineering consultancy services. Simon is a fellow of the Security Institute and a Chartered Security Professional (CSyP), and an ASIS-qualified Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and Physical Security Professional (PSP). His business partner in Dubai, retired brigadier Salim Al Ali, did a diplomatic tour in London as military attache. Visit www.sgw-consulting.co.uk.
